1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to an adjustable steering column for a vehicle and having telescoping components to adjust a height position of a steering wheel to accommodate the position of a driver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Contemporary automobiles include a steering column to adjust a height position of a steering wheel connected to the vehicle steering column to accommodate the position of a driver. A typical telescoping steering column assembly includes one bracket fixed to the frame of a vehicle and another bracket in telescoping relationship with the first bracket to provide relative longitudinal movement between the two brackets. These brackets, engaged one within another in a telescoping fashion, allow the driver to push or pull the steering wheel to a desired position and then to lock the brackets in the telescoping column against telescoping movement relative to one another.
The art is replete with various designs of steering column assemblies with locking devices for releasably adjusting and securing the telescoping steering column to accommodate the position of a driver. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,719 to Gartner; the French Patent No. FR 2787842 to Chartrain et al.; and the European Patent No. EP 0443881 to Kinoshita disclose various designs of a clamping and locking device for a steering column assembly utilized to releasably adjust and secure the steering column to accommodate the position of a driver.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,719 to Gartner teaches a locking device for releasably securing an adjustable steering column to a motor-vehicle body. The locking device comprises two locking elements where one of the two locking elements is attached to the steering column and the other is attached the motor-vehicle body. The two locking elements are adjustable in relation to each other between a release position, which allows the steering column to be adjusted, and a locking position, which secures the steering column against adjustment. One of the two locking elements is designed as an elastically ductile deformation element that can be deformed in the locking position by means of the other locking element.
The French patent No. FR 2787842 to Chartrain et al. teaches a vehicle steering column clamp moved to a clamping position by a cam rotatable about an axis extending through the clamp. The European Patent No. EP 0443881 to Kinoshita teaches a tilting steering column employing a caming device with a resilient member between two cam members. A tilt lever is mounted on the bolt to operate the first and second cam members to retain and release the frictional clamping engagement. The resilient member is provided between the first and second cam members to provide a positive lock during steering column tilting operation.
There remains a constant need in improving steering column assembly design that includes a clamping mechanism for releasably adjusting and securing the steering column assembly and to provide a positive lock.